disaster planning for laboratory animal facilities
TRANSCRIPT
Disaster Planning for Laboratory
Animal Facilities: Lessons Learned
from Hurricane KatrinaWilliam S. Stokes, DVM, DACLAM
Captain, U.S. Public Health ServiceNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
National Institutes of Health
US Department of Health and Human Services
Public Responsibility In Medicine and Research 2006 Annual IACUC Conference
Boston, MA
March 27-28, 2006
The US Public Health Service: Protecting, Promoting,
and Advancing the Health and Safety of the Nation
Outline
• Impact of Hurricane Katrina
• Research Animal Response Efforts
• Lessons Learned
– Disaster Response
– Disaster Planning
KATRINAKATRINASunday, August 28, 2005Sunday, August 28, 2005
Category 5 HurricaneCategory 5 Hurricane
New Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes
View from International Space Station on Thursday, September 8, 2005
Superdome
Lake Pontchartrain
French Quarter
9th Ward
St. Bernard ParishSt. Bernard Parish
London Ave.
Canal
Industrial
Canal17th St. Canal
Pre-Katrina Assumptions
• Only a temporary interruption of services– Pre-storm evacuees would return soon
– Many decided to ride out the storm
• Hardened structures could continue to operate– Emergency generators could keep facilities
operational
Post-Katrina: The Reality
• Total infrastructure failure
– Mandatory evacuation of New Orleans
– > 500,000 people
• Absence of critical services
– Power
– Sewer and Water
– Law Enforcement
– Emergency Services
Impact of Katrina
• Employees displaced– Relocated 50- 2000 miles
away
• Communications compromised– Telephones inoperable
– Cell phone service poor to non-existent
• Access to city closed– Limited to authorized
personnel
Impact on Animal Facilities
• Staff unable to access facilities
• No lighting, ventilation, temperature control
• No water and sewer
• Similar impact on hospitals, nursing homes, etc.
Disaster Response:
Animal Issues• Research animals
• Evacuated pets
• Rescued pets
• Livestock
• Zoo, wildlife, and marine animals
US Public Health Service Veterinary TeamCommissioned Corps Readiness ForceBaton Rouge, September 2005
Disaster Response:
Research Animals• Coordinated by State Animal
Response Incident Command
• Assisted 2 local institutions– Rescued animals
• NHPs, Transgenics, others
– Humane euthanasia
– USPHS, USDA, State, University veterinarians & technicians
What did we learn from this
experience?• Disaster Response
• Disaster Planning
Disaster Planning and Response
for Animal Facilities: Goals
• Avoid or minimize adverse impacts on animal welfare
• Avoid or minimize adverse impacts on research
• Provide for the health and safety of personnel
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Response
• Provide for safety of response personnel
– Security
– Personnel Protective Equipment
– Communications• Radio checks, buddy
system
– EMS/Fire/Rescue
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Response• Bring everything you need
• Animal Rescue– Caging
– Vehicles
– Tranquilizers
• Humane Euthanasia– CO2
– Controlled substances
– Needles and syringes
–
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Planning• Communications Plan
– Institutional contacts• Work, home, cell, email, home addresses
• All animal program staff, IO, response team
• Other institutions
– Other contacts• Local and state Emergency Operations Centers
• State veterinarian, state public health veterinarian
• USDA AVIC, AC
• Provide IO, AV contact information
– Additional Resources • EOCs: Satellite phones, radio operators
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Planning
• Establish contingency plans with other institutions
– Housing for evacuated
and rescued animals
– Transportation, technical
& veterinary staff
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Planning
• Maintain accessible critical information
– Location and numbers/species of animals
• Priorities for evacuation/rescue
– Location of keys
– Location and nature of chemical, biologic, and
radiological hazards
• Maintain in a secure off-site location
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Planning
• Pre-Disaster action plan (If advance warning)– Animal evacuations
• Which animals, how, where
– Final preparations• Extra water, food
• Move animals above flood/storm surge levels
• Signage for rescue teams
– Attempt to save: transgenics, genetic resources
– Ok to euthanize
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Planning • After the disaster:
– Assess accessibility of facility
– Assess availability of personnel
– Communicate needs and coordinate rescue efforts with local/state EOC and/or Animal Response Incident Command
Disaster Planning:
Lessons Learned• After the disaster (cont.’)
– Communicate accurate information • IC Post, OLAW, Animal Care
– Comply with reporting requirements• OLAW: animal harm or deaths as a result of disasters
• Others as required
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Plans• Prepare for all-hazards
– Natural disasters• Hurricanes, floods, icestorms, tornados, earthquakes, fires
– Manmade disasters• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Explosive
• Semi-annual review of disaster plans
• Ensure staff awareness of responsibilities
Lessons Learned:
Disaster Planning
• Conduct training and exercises
– Tabletop exercises
– Local, state, regional, national exercises
Disaster Planning: Summary
• Plan and train for the unexpected
• Coordinate with local and state emergency response officials
• Have a disaster plan to:– Optimize animal welfare
– Minimize disruption to research
– Ensure personnel safety
For more information
• OLAW – Disaster Response and Planning Resources
– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/disaster_planning.htm
– Updated 3/22/06
• The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, February, 2006– http://www.whitehouse.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-
learned/
Acknowledgements
• Louisiana State Animal Response Incident Command– Co-commanders
• Dr. Mack Lea, LA State Veterinarian
• Dr. Joel Goldman, USDA Area Veterinarian In Charge
– Operations Chief: Dr. Fred Bourgeois
• Veterinarians and technical staff – Tulane University & Regional Primate Center
– LSU Medical Center
– U.S. Public Health Service
– USDA
– LA Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry